State lawmaker says he's a victim of extortion

Republican denies having sex with man

Nicholas K. Geranios, The Associated Press

Published
10:00 pm PDT, Tuesday, October 30, 2007

SPOKANE -- A Republican state legislator from southwest Washington had sex with a man he met at an erotic video store and then told police he had been targeted in an extortion attempt, according to police documents released Tuesday.

State Rep. Richard Curtis, R-La Center, who on Monday declared, "I have not had sex with a guy," told police he was the victim in an extortion attempt by Cody Castagna at the posh Davenport Tower hotel Friday, search warrant documents said.

Castagna, 26, of nearby Medical Lake, told police that Curtis, 48, agreed to pay him $1,000 for sex, then reneged on the promise. Police reports also said witnesses told them Curtis dressed in women's lingerie at the erotic store, and records showed Curtis bought two gay pornographic films from the hotel to watch with Castagna.

Numerous efforts to reach Curtis or his lawyer, John Wolfe, by phone on Tuesday were not successful.

Curtis is married and has children, according to his legislative Web site. Elected to the state House of Representatives in 2004, he has voted against gay rights legislation.

Curtis was among state GOP lawmakers who were in Spokane last Wednesday through Friday for a retreat to discuss the upcoming legislative session.

He went to the Hollywood Erotic Boutique in Spokane early Friday and met Castagna, who accompanied him to the hotel, the police documents said.

The two arrived at the hotel around 3:34 a.m. and had sex, after which Curtis fell asleep, according to the documents.

Curtis alleged that Castagna took his wallet and later offered to return it for $1,000. Curtis said he only had $200 and left an envelope with the money at the hotel desk, the documents said.

Castagna called Curtis and demanded an additional $800, and threatened to expose Curtis, according to police reports. But Curtis had already contacted Spokane police, who listened to the call and then met with Castagna.

There have been no arrests in the case and no charges filed.

Castagna, who appeared Tuesday at a Spokane news conference with his lawyer, David Partovi, said the lawmaker "has completely changed what actually happened and turned it around for his favor."

The young man told police and reporters that Curtis gave him his wallet to hold as collateral "for the money that he promised me."

Partovi refused to let his client tell reporters what he did for the money, noting Castagna had already spoken voluntarily with police.

Police spokeswoman Jennifer DeRuwe said the evidence collected by police was given to the Spokane County prosecutor's office, which will decide if criminal charges are warranted. The deputy prosecutor who will review the report was not in the office Tuesday afternoon and will receive the information Wednesday, said a prosecutor's receptionist.

In his only public comments, Curtis told The Columbian newspaper of Vancouver, Wash., that he did not solicit anyone for sex. "I committed no crime," Curtis told the newspaper Monday. "I did not solicit sex. I was trying to help somebody out."

Curtis, a former firefighter, declared, "I am not gay."

In his initial statement to police, Curtis denied offering money for sex, and denied having sex at all. He told officers he believed he had been slipped "some type of drug" because he did not have a clear recollection of events.

The police report added that Curtis told officers he only wanted his wallet back "and wanted to keep the incident as low key as possible." He did not want to pursue charges against Castagna, the report said.

But as the investigation continued, police said Curtis admitted to having sex with Castagna in Curtis' hotel room.

According to the report, Curtis said he initially gave Castagna $100 as gas money, and said he did not consider that paying for sex.

Police interviewed several witnesses at the Hollywood Erotic Boutique, and according to the report, Curtis walked into a bathroom at the store early Friday morning and a few minutes later left the bathroom wearing long red women's stockings and a black sequined lingerie top. A witness told police that shortly after that he saw a man with a cane performing a sexual act on Curtis in an upstairs room.

In 2005 and 2006, Curtis voted against a bill that granted civil rights protections to gays and lesbians. In 2007, Curtis voted against a bill that created domestic partnerships for same-sex couples.